to choose or select from among a group: to pick a contestant from the audience.
2.
to seek and find occasion for; provoke: to pick a fight.
3.
to attempt to find; seek out: to pick flaws in an argument.
4.
to steal the contents of: Her pocket was picked yesterday.
5.
to open (a lock) with a device other than the key, as a sharp instrument or wire, esp. for the purpose of burglary.
6.
to pierce, indent, dig into, or break up (something) with a pointed instrument: to pick rock; to pick ore.
7.
to form (a hole) by such action: to pick a hole in asphalt.
8.
to use a pointed instrument, the fingers, the teeth, the beak, etc., on (a thing), in order to remove or loosen something, as a small part or adhering matter: to pick one's teeth.
9.
to prepare for use by removing a covering piece by piece, as feathers, hulls, or other parts: to pick a fowl.
10.
to detach or remove piece by piece with the fingers: She picked the meat from the bones.
11.
to pluck or gather one by one: to pick flowers.
12.
(of birds or other animals) to take up (small bits of food) with the bill or teeth.
13.
to eat daintily or in small morsels.
14.
to separate, pull apart, or pull to pieces: to pick fibers.
15.
Music.
a.
to pluck (the strings of an instrument).
b.
to play (a stringed instrument) by plucking with the fingers.
–verb (used without object)
16.
to strike with or use a pick or other pointed instrument on something.
17.
(of birds or other animals) to take up small bits of food with the bill or teeth: The hens were busily picking about in their coop.
18.
to select carefully or fastidiously.
19.
to pilfer; steal.
20.
to pluck or gather fruit, flowers, etc.
21.
Basketball. to execute a pick.
–noun
22.
the act of choosing or selecting; choice; selection: to take one's pick.
23.
a person or thing that is selected: He is our pick for president.
24.
the choicest or most desirable part, example, or examples: This horse is the pick of the stable.
25.
the right of selection: He gave me my pick of the litter.
26.
the quantity of a crop picked, as from trees, bushes, etc., at a particular time: The pick was poor this season.
27.
Printing.
a.
a speck of dirt, hardened ink, or extra metal on set type or a plate.
b.
a small area removed from the surface of a coated paper by ink that adheres to the form.
28.
a stroke with something pointed: The rock shattered at the first pick of the ax.
29.
Basketball. an offensive maneuver in which a player moves into a position between a defender and a teammate with the ball so as to prevent the defender from interfering with the shot.
—Verb phrases
30.
pick at,
a.
to find fault with unnecessarily or persistently; nag.
b.
to eat sparingly or daintily: As he was ill, he only picked at his food.
c.
to grasp at; touch; handle: The baby loved to pick at her mother's glasses.
31.
pick off,
a.
to remove by pulling or plucking off.
b.
to single out and shoot: The hunter picked off a duck rising from the marsh.
c.
Baseball. to put out (a base runner) in a pick-off play.
32.
pick on,
a.
Informal. to criticize or blame; tease; harass.
b.
to single out; choose: The professor always picks on me to translate long passages.
33.
pick out,
a.
to choose; designate: to pick out one's successor.
b.
to distinguish from that which surrounds or accompanies; recognize: to pick out a well-known face in a crowd.
c.
to discern (sense or meaning); discriminate.
d.
to play (a melody) by ear; work out note by note.
e.
to extract by picking.
34.
pick over, to examine (an assortment of items) in order to make a selection: Eager shoppers were picking over the shirts on the bargain tables.
35.
pick up,
a.
to lift or take up: to pick up a stone.
b.
to collect, esp. in an orderly manner: Pick up the tools when you're finished.
c.
to recover (one's courage, health, etc.); regain.
d.
to gain by occasional opportunity; obtain casually: to pick up a livelihood.
e.
to learn, as by experience: I've picked up a few Japanese phrases.
f.
to claim: to pick up one's bags at an airport.
g.
to take (a person or thing) into a car or ship, etc., or along with one.
h.
to bring into range of reception, observation, etc.: to pick up Rome on one's radio.
i.
to accelerate; gain (speed).
j.
to put in good order; tidy: to pick up a room.
k.
to make progress; improve: Business is beginning to pick up.
l.
to catch or contract, as a disease.
m.
Informal. to become acquainted with informally or casually, often in hope of a sexual relationship: Let's pick up some dates tonight.
n.
to resume or continue after being left off: Let's pick up the discussion in our next meeting.
o.
Informal. to take into custody; arrest: They picked him up for vagrancy.
p.
Informal. to obtain; find; purchase: She picked up some nice shoes on sale.
q.
Slang. to steal: to pick up jewels and silver.
r.
to accept, as in order to pay: to pick up the check.
36.
pick up on, Informal.
a.
become aware or cognizant of; be perceptive about; notice: to pick up on the hostess's hostility.
b.
to pay special attention to; keep an eye on: to pick up on a troubled student.
—Idioms
37.
pick and choose, to be very careful or particular in choosing: With such a limited supply of fresh fruit, you won't be able to pick and choose.
38.
pick apart, to criticize severely or in great detail: They picked her apart the moment she left the room.
39.
pick it up, Informal. to move, work, etc., at a faster rate.
40.
pick one's way or steps, to walk with care and deliberation: She picked her way across the muddy field.
a heavy tool consisting of an iron or steel head, usually curved, tapering to a point at one or both ends, mounted on a wooden handle, and used for loosening and breaking up soil, rock, etc.; pickax.
2.
a hammerlike tool for the rough dressing of stone, having two sharp, pyramidal faces.
3.
any pointed or other tool or instrument for picking (often used in combination): a toothpick; an ice pick.
O.E. *pician "to prick," merged with O.N. pikka "to prick, peck," common Gmc. (cf. M.Du. picken, Ger. picken "to pick, peck"), from PIE *pik-/*pek-, an imitative base. The meaning "to choose, select, pick out" emerged c.1390, from earlier meaning "to pluck with the fingers" (c.1325). To pick a quarrel, etc. is from c.1449; to pick at "find fault with" is from c.1670. Pick on "single out for adverse attention" is from c.1370; to pick (someone) up "make someone's acquaintance aggressively for sexual purposes" is first recorded 1698. Pick off "shoot one by one" is recorded from 1810; baseball sense of "to put out a runner on base" is from 1939. Pickpocket is from 1591 (earlier pick-purse, c.1386). Pick-me-up "stimulating alcoholic drink" is attested from 1867. Picky first recorded 1867.
c.1300, pyk "pikestaff," variant of pike (2). Pic "pickaxe" is attested from 1340. Sense of "plectrum for a guitar, lute, etc." is from 1895; as a type of basketball block it is attested from 1951. Meaning "choicest part or example" is first recorded 1760, from pick (v.).
the person or thing chosen or selected; "he was my pick for mayor" [syn: choice]
2.
the quantity of a crop that is harvested; "he sent the first picking of berries to the market"; "it was the biggest peach pick in years" [syn: picking]
3.
the best people or things in a group; "the cream of England's young men were killed in the Great War" [syn: cream]
4.
the yarn woven across the warp yarn in weaving [syn: woof]
5.
a small thin device (of metal or plastic or ivory) used to pluck a stringed instrument
6.
a thin sharp implement used for removing unwanted material; "he used a pick to clean the dirt out of the cracks"
7.
a heavy iron tool with a wooden handle and a curved head that is pointed on both ends; "they used picks and sledges to break the rocks"
8.
a basketball maneuver; obstructing an opponent with one's body; "he was called for setting an illegal pick"
9.
the act of choosing or selecting; "your choice of colors was unfortunate"; "you can take your pick" [syn: choice]
verb
1.
select carefully from a group; "She finally picked her successor"; "He picked his way carefully"
2.
look for and gather; "pick mushrooms"; "pick flowers"
3.
harass with constant criticism; "Don't always pick on your little brother" [syn: blame]
4.
provoke; "pick a fight or a quarrel"
5.
remove in small bits; "pick meat from a bone"
6.
remove unwanted substances from, such as feathers or pits; "Clean the turkey" [syn: clean]
7.
pilfer or rob; "pick pockets"
8.
pay for something; "pick up the tab"; "pick up the burden of high-interest mortgages"; "foot the bill" [syn: foot]
9.
pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion; "he plucked the strings of his mandolin" [syn: pluck]
10.
attack with or as if with a pickaxe of ice or rocky ground, for example; "Pick open the ice"
to choose or select Example: Pick the one you like best.
Arabic:
يَخْتار
Chinese (Simplified):
挑选
Chinese (Traditional):
挑選
Czech:
vybrat si
Danish:
vælge
Dutch:
kiezen
Estonian:
valima
Finnish:
valikoida
French:
choisir
German:
auswählen
Greek:
διαλέγω
Hungarian:
(ki)szed
Icelandic:
velja (úr)
Indonesian:
memilih
Japanese:
選ぶ
Korean:
고르다
Latvian:
izvēlēties; izmeklēt
Lithuanian:
rinkti(s), pasirinkti
Norwegian:
velge, *plukke ut
Polish:
wybierać
Portuguese (Brazil):
escolher
Portuguese (Portugal):
escolher
Romanian:
a alege
Russian:
выбирать
Slovak:
vybrať si
Slovenian:
izbrati
Spanish:
elegir, escoger
Swedish:
välja , plocka ut
Turkish:
seçmek
pick2[pik]verb
to take (flowers from a plant, fruit from a tree etc), usually by hand Example: The little girl sat on the grass and picked flowers.
Arabic:
يَلْتَقِط
Chinese (Simplified):
采摘
Chinese (Traditional):
採摘
Czech:
trhat, sbírat
Danish:
plukke
Dutch:
plukken
Estonian:
noppima
Finnish:
poimia
French:
cueillir
German:
pflücken
Greek:
μαζεύω (π.χ. λουλούδια)
Hungarian:
szed
Icelandic:
tína
Indonesian:
memetik
Japanese:
摘む
Korean:
따다
Latvian:
lasīt (ogas); plūkt (puķes)
Lithuanian:
(nu)skinti
Norwegian:
plukke; sanke, høste
Polish:
zbierać, zrywać
Portuguese (Brazil):
catar
Portuguese (Portugal):
apanhar
Romanian:
a culege
Russian:
собирать, снимать
Slovak:
trhať
Slovenian:
nabirati
Spanish:
coger, recoger
Swedish:
plocka
Turkish:
koparmak, toplamak
pick3[pik]verb
to lift (someone or something) Example: He picked up the child.
Arabic:
يَرْفَع، يَحْمِل
Chinese (Simplified):
捡起
Chinese (Traditional):
撿起
Czech:
zvednout, vzít
Danish:
løfte
Dutch:
optillen
Estonian:
üles tõstma
Finnish:
nostaa
French:
soulever, prendre
German:
hochheben
Greek:
σηκώνω κπ. ή κτ. από κάτω
Hungarian:
felemel
Icelandic:
taka upp
Indonesian:
mengangkat
Japanese:
取り上げる
Korean:
들어올리다
Latvian:
pacelt
Lithuanian:
pakelti
Norwegian:
løfte, *ta opp
Polish:
podnosić
Portuguese (Brazil):
pegar
Portuguese (Portugal):
levantar
Romanian:
a ridica; a lua
Russian:
поднимать
Slovak:
zdvihnúť
Slovenian:
dvigniti
Spanish:
levantar, recoger, coger
Swedish:
lyfta
Turkish:
tutup kaldırmak, eğilip almak
pick4[pik]verb
to unlock (a lock) with a tool other than a key Example: When she found that she had lost her key, she picked the lock with a hair-pin.
Arabic:
يَفْتَح، يَفُك
Chinese (Simplified):
撬锁
Chinese (Traditional):
撬鎖
Czech:
vypáčit, otevřít
Danish:
åbne
Dutch:
openpeuteren
Estonian:
(lukku) lahti murdma
Finnish:
tiirikoida auki
French:
crocheter (une serrure)
German:
knacken
Greek:
παραβιάζω κλειδαριά
Hungarian:
álkulccsal kinyit
Icelandic:
opna, dírka, *stinga upp (lás)
Indonesian:
mengorek gembok
Japanese:
こじ開ける
Korean:
(자물쇠를 열쇠 아닌 것으로) 따다
Latvian:
atmūķēt
Lithuanian:
atrakinti, (at)krapštyti
Norwegian:
dirke opp (en lås)
Polish:
otworzyć (np. wytrychem), sforsować
Portuguese (Brazil):
forçar
Portuguese (Portugal):
forçar
Romanian:
a deschide, *a sparge (o broască)
Russian:
открывать (не ключом)
Slovak:
otvoriť
Slovenian:
odpreti
Spanish:
forzar
Swedish:
dyrka (peta) upp
Turkish:
kurcalayıp açmak
pick1[pik]noun
whatever or whichever a person wants or chooses Example: Take your pick of these prizes.
Arabic:
ما يُريد أو يَخْتار
Chinese (Simplified):
选择
Chinese (Traditional):
選擇
Czech:
výběr, volba
Danish:
valg
Dutch:
keuze
Estonian:
valik
French:
choix
German:
die Auswahl
Greek:
ό,τι επιθυμώ
Hungarian:
válogatás
Icelandic:
val
Indonesian:
pilihan
Japanese:
選択
Korean:
선택(한 것)
Latvian:
izvēle; izraudzītais priekšmets
Lithuanian:
pasirinkimas
Norwegian:
valg
Polish:
wybór
Portuguese (Brazil):
escolha
Portuguese (Portugal):
escolha
Romanian:
alegere
Russian:
выбор
Slovak:
výber, voľba
Slovenian:
izbira
Spanish:
elección, selección
Swedish:
val
Turkish:
seçim, tercih
pick2[pik]noun
the best one(s) from or the best part of something Example: These grapes are the pick of the bunch.
Arabic:
خيرَة، نُخْبَة
Chinese (Simplified):
精华
Chinese (Traditional):
精華
Czech:
to nejlepší
Danish:
de bedste
Dutch:
puikje
Estonian:
paremik
French:
le meilleur
German:
der, *die, *das Beste
Greek:
το καλύτερο
Hungarian:
vminek a java
Icelandic:
úrval
Indonesian:
yang terbaik
Japanese:
最良品
Korean:
고르고 고른 것, 정예, 정수
Latvian:
vislabākais
Lithuanian:
kas geriausias, rinktinis
Norwegian:
kremen, det beste, toppen
Polish:
najlepsza część, wyselekcjonowana część
Portuguese (Brazil):
nata
Portuguese (Portugal):
nata
Romanian:
cel mai bun
Russian:
что-л. отборное
Slovak:
to najlepšie
Slovenian:
najboljši del
Spanish:
lo mejor
Swedish:
det bästa, eliten, gräddan
Turkish:
en iyisi
pick[pik]noun
(also (British) ˈpickaxe, (American) ˈpickax — pluralˈpickaxes) a tool with a heavy metal head pointed at one or both ends, used for breaking hard surfaces eg walls, roads, rocks etc
Pick City, ND (city, FIPS 62260) Location: 47.51190 N, 101.45609 W Population (1990): 203 (129 housing units) Area: 0.4 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Peck\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pecked; p. pr. & vb. n. Pecking.] [See Pick, v.]1. To strike with the beak; to thrust the beak into; as, a bird pecks a tree. 2. Hence: To strike, pick, thrust against, or dig into, with a pointed instrument; especially, to strike, pick, etc., with repeated quick movements. 3. To seize and pick up with the beak, or as with the beak; to bite; to eat; -- often with up. --Addison. This fellow pecks up wit as pigeons peas. --Shak. 4. To make, by striking with the beak or a pointed instrument; as, to peck a hole in a tree.
Pick\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Picked; p. pr. & vb. n. Picking.] [OE. picken, pikken, to prick, peck; akin to Icel. pikka, Sw. picka, Dan. pikke, D. pikken, G. picken, F. piquer, W. pigo. Cf. Peck, v., Pike, Pitch to throw.]1. To throw; to pitch. [Obs.] As high as I could pick my lance. --Shak. 2. To peck at, as a bird with its beak; to strike at with anything pointed; to act upon with a pointed instrument; to pierce; to prick, as with a pin. 3. To separate or open by means of a sharp point or points; as, to pick matted wool, cotton, oakum, etc. 4. To open (a lock) as by a wire. 5. To pull apart or away, especially with the fingers; to pluck; to gather, as fruit from a tree, flowers from the stalk, feathers from a fowl, etc. 6. To remove something from with a pointed instrument, with the fingers, or with the teeth; as, to pick the teeth; to pick a bone; to pick a goose; to pick a pocket. Did you pick Master Slender's purse? --Shak. He picks clean teeth, and, busy as he seems With an old tavern quill, is hungry yet. --Cowper. 7. To choose; to select; to separate as choice or desirable; to cull; as, to pick one's company; to pick one's way; -- often with out. "One man picked out of ten thousand." --Shak. 8. To take up; esp., to gather from here and there; to collect; to bring together; as, to pick rags; -- often with up; as, to pick up a ball or stones; to pick up information. 9. To trim. [Obs.] --Chaucer. To pick at, to tease or vex by pertinacious annoyance. To pick a bone with. See under Bone. To pick a thank, to curry favor. [Obs.] --Robynson (More's Utopia). To pick off. (a) To pluck; to remove by picking. (b) To shoot or bring down, one by one; as, sharpshooters pick off the enemy. To pick out. (a) To mark out; to variegate; as, to pick out any dark stuff with lines or spots of bright colors. (b) To select from a number or quantity. To pick to pieces, to pull apart piece by piece; hence [Colloq.], to analyze; esp., to criticize in detail. To pick a quarrel, to give occasion of quarrel intentionally. To pick up. (a) To take up, as with the fingers. (b) To get by repeated efforts; to gather here and there; as, to pick up a livelihood; to pick up news.
Pick\, v. i. 1. To eat slowly, sparingly, or by morsels; to nibble. Why stand'st thou picking? Is thy palate sore? --Dryden. 2. To do anything nicely or carefully, or by attending to small things; to select something with care. 3. To steal; to pilfer. "To keep my hands from picking and stealing." --Book of Com. Prayer. To pick up, to improve by degrees; as, he is picking up in health or business. [Colloq. U.S.]